Marketing Specialist salary in Cleveland, OH
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Cleveland than in Ohio or the country as a whole. The median is $71,350 a year1: 2.0% below the Ohio statewide median of $72,790 and 9.4% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#111 of 516). BLS counts about 5,440 people in this job here, 20% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $38,890 | $71,350 | $123,010 | |
| Ohio | $39,860 | $72,790 | $129,270 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Cleveland earns $52,370–$92,230. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $123,010, only 3.2 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $39,860 wide, against $45,650 across Ohio and $49,960 nationally: employers in Cleveland pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a marketing specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,890 | $3,241 | $18.70 | $50,181 |
| 25th percentile | $52,370 | $4,364 | $25.18 | $67,574 |
| Median | $71,350 | $5,946 | $34.30 | $92,065 |
| 75th percentile | $92,230 | $7,686 | $44.34 | $119,006 |
| 90th percentile | $123,010 | $10,251 | $59.14 | $158,723 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $18,980 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $20,880, or about $26,942 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $78,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $72,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $20,715 to the $71,350 median and brings it to $92,065 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for marketing specialists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($80,000) and recruiters ($70,900). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +33.1% | 6,340 | |
| Accountant | +12.1% | 10,740 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 5,440 | |
| Recruiter | -0.6% | 6,330 | |
| Executive Assistant | -3.9% | 2,170 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-9.4%), between project coordinators (-7.2%) and executive assistants (-10.5%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Cleveland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 5.3% across Ohio and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $56,550 in Mansfield to $77,010 in Columbus, a gap of $20,460 a year. All 2 areas in Ohio with more marketing specialists than Cleveland also pay more, among them Cincinnati, OH-KY ($75,750) and Columbus, OH ($77,010).
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +7.9% | 5,880 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +6.2% | 7,080 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 5,440 | |
| Akron, OH | -7.5% | 1,480 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -10.2% | 1,420 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -11.5% | 640 | |
| Toledo, OH | -11.8% | 1,080 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #31 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Ohio, Midland and Harrisburg-Carlisle pay just above Cleveland and Hilton Head Island-Bluffton and Port St. Lucie just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +8.3% | 5,510 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +4.6% | 5,920 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +0.2% | 1,560 | pay | |
| Midland, MI | +0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 5,440 | ||
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | -0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -2.1% | 5,280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Cleveland, OH?
About $92,065 a year at the median, or $7,672 a month: $71,350 in pay plus about $20,715 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in Cleveland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,890, the 90th $123,010, and the middle half earned $52,370 to $92,230.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,350 against $72,790 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $75,750, the next down Akron at $66,000.
How many marketing specialists work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 5,440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Ohio total of 27,370. Only Cincinnati and Columbus have more in Ohio.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in Cleveland?
Yes: $450 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,350 and $70,900.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1161: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.